Liable for More Than Fifty Dollars!
by FanofGibbs68
Summary: This is a one shot "what if" or what I think should have happened in the episode Freedom.  Warning:  There will be a disciplinary spanking of a minor.


**A/N: I am still working on the third in my Holiday series. **

This is a one shot "what if" or what I think should have happened in the episode _**Freedom**_. I own nothing but the "what if." **No copyright infringement is intended at all whatsoever! **The italics are direct quotes from the episode.

**Warning: There is talk of spanking and a disciplinary spanking of a minor in this story.**

**Liable for More Than Fifty Dollars!**

Gibbs thought while standing on the staircase in the bullpen looking down on Tim, "I hope he finds the guy who did this to him. I guess I've let him stew long enough."

Gibbs decided to help Tim and proceeded to go down the stairs, but stopped as he observed Tony bringing in a 12 year old boy. Tim recognized him as his landlady's kid. He thought, "He has access to his mother's keys and my apartment."

When reality finally hit him, Tim said, "Nick! You did this? Do you realize how much you cost me in credit card charges?"

After Tim told the kid how much he cost him, Nick said, "Dude, relax, its fraud. You are only liable for $50 of it."

At this point Gibbs' anger rose. He wanted to deal with this kid himself. "That is what is wrong with this society; kids are running around without supervision and consequences." He then decided to let Tim and Tony work this one out. He thought, "I'll step in only if it is necessary."

Tim asked, _**"Why? Why did you do this to me?"**_  
>Nick responded by saying,"You are stuck in a rut. <em><strong>You're always doing the same thing. Go to work. Come home. Go to work again. You even order the same take-out food every single night.<strong>_**"**  
>Defensively, Tim said,<em><strong>"<strong>__**Not every night."**_  
>Nick then commented in a cocky manner, <em><strong>"<strong>__**Dude, yes. You gotta start living. You're too young to act so old." **_

Tim ignored the cockiness and informed the kid he owed him $50. _**"Talk to my mom, Bro,"**_ the kid said.

Nick turned to Tony with no remorse and asked, "Hey Tony, can we go to the arcade now?"

If Gibbs thought he was angry before, this only added to his frustration. He was ready to head slap Tony for even suggesting a reward for misconduct.

"Uh, sorry little man. No can do." Tony said with a shake of his head.

"What! You promised! You said if I admitted that I went into his apartment and charged things on his credit card, you'd bring me to the arcade. You lied to me, Tony!" Nick was in the middle of a tantrum when he heard a voice from the staircase.

"It doesn't feel good to be lied to does it?" Gibbs asked as he descended the staircase.

Nick was startled out of his tantrum and said with boldness, "I don't think that is any of your business, Mister." Of course, he did not know to whom he was talking to.

Tim and Tony shook their heads at the nerve of this kid.

"Well son, I am Federal Agent Gibbs and I heard you admit to a federal crime. I think it is my business." Gibbs said calmly. "Tim and Tony are also federal agents. It seems in your fun, you forgot to do all of your homework on Tim."

"Arrre – Arrre you gonna arrest me, Agent Gibbs?" Nick suddenly lost the boldness he had before.

"No, as you suggested to Tim when he said you owed him fifty dollars, we are going to talk to your mom." Gibbs turned to Tim and Tony and said, "Take him home and talk to his mom. Handle this before this boy ends up in a local juvenile facility."

Tony nodded at Gibbs, grabbed the collar of Nick's shirt and led him to the elevator.

"What do you suggest I do, Boss?" Tim asked.

"What would your dad have done in this situation?" Gibbs inquired.

"Dad believed mostly in grounding me, but in a situation this serious, he would have gotten more drastic." Tim said as he blushed.

"And what would that have been, Tim?" Gibbs asked knowingly.

Tim's blush turned a deeper red when he said, "He would have given me the spanking of my life. Dad reserved corporal punishment for only the very serious offenses."

"This is serious, Tim. Talk to the mom and go from there, but I'd wail the tar out of him if he was my kid." Gibbs said in a no nonsense manner.

"Boss, if he was your kid, he wouldn't have done this in the first place." Tim chuckled and left for the elevator.

* * *

><p>"So you see Mrs. Miller, Nick not only broke the law by taking your keys, he broke the renterlandlord law of entering an apartment without due cause. He also committed fraud by charging things on Tim's credit card." Tony gave a run-down of Nick's activities.

"Mrs. Miller, what bothers me the most is that he showed no remorse when he was caught." Tim said as he looked at Nick pointedly. "He may continue to do these things and end up in jail next time. Our boss wants us to handle it with you this time, but he wants Nick to be remorseful about it and think twice before he ever contemplates doing something like this again. If he breaks the law again, Agent Gibbs will make sure local law enforcement gets involved."

Mrs. Miller looked at her son with such disappointment, hurt and anger and said, "Nick go wait in your room."

Nick began to argue but stopped when Tony took his phone out of his pocket and said, "Let's see, the boss' cell number is on speed dial number one."

"Ok, ok. I'm going." Nick said hurriedly.

"I don't know what to do anymore. He used to be such a well behaved boy. He doesn't listen to me anymore. Not having his dad around has really been hard. His dad would have spanked the daylights out of him for this." Mrs. Miller said. That is when Mrs. Miller got an idea.

"Tim, you have been a father-figure to him. You have been mentoring him. Would you take him to your apartment and spank him? He needs a man's firm hand." Mrs. Miller said with trust in Tim.

"I don't know, Mrs. Miller." Tim said nervously.

"What would Gibbs do, Tim?" Tony asked knowingly.

Tim sighed and said, "Nick!"

"Yeah?" Nick saw when Tony pulled out his cell phone again and corrected, "I'm mean, Sir?"

"Follow me to my apartment." Tim said without waiting to see if Nick was following.

* * *

><p>Once in his apartment, Tim decided not to prolong the inevitable. He placed his desk chair in the middle of the room and motioned Nick over.<p>

Nick walked over, not sure of what was happening.

Once Tim had Nick firmly by the wrist, he spoke.

"Nick, your mom and I discussed your punishment. Instead of sending you to jail, she wants me to spank you. Agent Gibbs wants a punishment or he'll turn you over to the police. I don't want to do this, but it is better than jail and I want you to have something to think about if you ever get the idea to do something like this again."

Nick's eyes widened at the thought of being spanked. It had been a long time since his last spanking and he did not want to experience that any time soon. He tried to protest, but before he knew it, he was over Tim's knee.

Nick cried out with the first swat to his jean covered backside. Tim proceeded to give Nick the spanking he so richly deserved hoping there would be remorse and careful thoughts before Nick ever did something like that again.

Once Nick was sobbing uncontrollably, Tim stopped the spanking. He stood Nick up and hugged him. "I'm sorry I had to do that. I'll do it again if I have to. Choose wisely next time."

"I will Tim." Nick said between sobs.

"In the meantime, you can do chores around my apartment, when I'm here only. Do not come into my apartment again without my permission. You will perform these chores until you have paid the fifty dollars back. Your mom did not take the money, so she isn't going to pay it back."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I won't ever do anything like that again."

"I know you won't and to make sure, I'll be talking to your mom about joining my Youth Rangers Troop. This way, I can spend more time with you."

"Really? Thanks Tim!"

"I really do care about you buddy."

Tim made arrangements with Mrs. Miller as promised.

* * *

><p>The next day, Tim walked into the bullpen and ran into Gibbs.<p>

"Well, instead of spilling my coffee, tell me about last night." Gibbs stated.

Tim filled Gibbs in on what had transpired and the future plans he had for Nick. He conveyed Mrs. Miller's gratitude and then proceeded to log in to his computer.

"Good job Tim. I knew you could do it."

"Thanks, Boss."

* * *

><p>Ten years later, Tim proudly sat with Mrs. Miller at Nick's Naval Academy graduation. Nick caused Tim to spank him a few times during those ten years, and because Tim cared enough to take the time needed with Nick, he turned out to be a fine young man.<p> 


End file.
